Cân i Gymru competition officially opens today after ‘difficult period for live music’

The Cân i Gymru 2022 competition officially opens today, with organisers hoping it will help Wales’ music industry after a year of restrictions on live music events.

The winning song will be awarded the Cân i Gymru trophy and a prize of £5,000, with second and third places also receiving prizes of £2,000 and £1,000.

The song ‘Bach o Hwne’ by Morgan Elwy Williams, originally from Tan-y-Fron near Llansannan was declared the winner earlier this year. With the competition returning for the 53rd time in 2022, who will be next to claim their place in the Cân i Gymru hall of fame?

Elen Rhys, S4C Entertainment and Music Commissioner said: “After a difficult period for the arts and live music, this is a chance for us to celebrate and put a spotlight on the musical talents we’re fortunate to have here in Wales.

“The feeling and excitement that comes with this competition is like no other. Go for it.”

‘Variety’

Siôn Llwyd from the company Avanti, which produces the show for S4C, is confident of finding a trove of new Welsh-language music from across Wales and beyond.

“Part of the appeal of Cân i Gymru is the fact that we get to hear new music from a range of songwriters – familiar faces and new ones,” he said.

“I would encourage submissions from all music genres in order to represent the rich variety we have in Wales today.”

Eight songs will then be chosen by a panel of industry experts to compete in Cân i Gymru 2022.

Those eight songs will compete in a live show on S4C on Friday 4 March 2022 at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, with Elin Fflur and Trystan Ellis-Morris presenting. But the viewers at home will get to choose the winner on the night through casting their votes by phone.

The closing date for Cân i Gymru 2022 is 2 January. If you’d like to take part, all the details and an application form can be found on the S4C website: www.s4c.cymru/canigymru